More.......

After spending the last 3 days staying with mom...I am due a break (as I am sure she is, too). My sister (whom mom lives with) has been away since Saturday on a business trip which I am sure was a big break for her also. It has gone relatively well-lots of yatzee and skip-bo games and we even went to exercise class on Monday afternoon. I was glad that she wanted to go and was happy to take her. She enjoys all the ladies that work there and gets some socialization besides family as well. It was not very crowed-so she was comfortable...As evening fell she became restless and was not able to sit and follow her favorite 2 shows that came on...she loves Dancing with the Stars and also CSI Miami...she was up and down the entire evening and got mad and irritated when I asked her to stop talking during the show...it is funny...quiet during the commercials and talking during the show...oh well, I need to learn how to chill...I think the hardest part of dealing with dementia is wanting her to remember and getting annoyed when she doesn't...even though I know she cannot help it...it is just a hideous process that robs you of the person you love and leaves you feeling totally sad and irritated all the time. It is something I continue to read and search about...trying to find a way to cope with it all and dreading the next phases of the disease...

more on Mom

I guess that the hardest aspect of taking care of your mom (or elders) is the lack of your own life...I feel that my every waking moment is used for doctors, dentists, lung rehab exercises (3 times weekly) and just keeping her company and making sure that she is okay...with dementia the mind plays tricks on you...you may have dillusions and hallucinations...you lose you ability to remember anything short term...so therefore...you love in the past and sometimes the past gets very confused with the future...everything is just a mishmash of thoughts...we play Skip-Bo a card game for hours...but she is beginning to have trouble with this...it is a general decline that you must witness...and it is very sad.